How an Indigenous dance group empowered Koster to become a leader

Ella Koster, a rookie forward for the Dragons, participated in an Aboriginal performance group before the 2019 Indigenous Round match against the Sharks, and she is now poised to compete in the inaugural NRLW Indigenous Round.

A proud Gweagal and Wiradjuri woman, Koster is emerging as a leader in the sport. She attributes her self-confidence and belief to her involvement with The Illawarra Flame Trees, a young women's Aboriginal performance and leadership initiative.

At just 20 years old, Koster impressed her Indigenous teammates with an uplifting halftime speech during February's All Stars match and later scored the decisive try, leading her team to a narrow 20-18 victory over Aotearoa Māori.

"The guidance of Edwards helped me develop a strong connection with my Indigenous culture that I am now proud to share with the massive audiences that watch the NRL and NRLW," Koster remarked, emphasizing the impact of her cultural roots.

This development, however, was no surprise to Dr. Jodi Edwards, who has been mentoring Koster and eleven other young Indigenous women since their teenage years. Edwards, a former representative in NSW football and weightlifting, has a personal story marked by resilience; her aspiration to represent Australia at the 2000 Olympics was dashed by an ACL injury. Now, as an Indigenous educator and the founder of The Illawarra Flame Trees, she continues to uplift and guide young women like Koster.